Minister K.D. Lal Kantha has rejected remarks by Kaduwela Mayor Ranjan Jayalal that appeared to encourage private companies to send festive gift parcels to public-sector employees, and said the party will reprimand him.
Lal Kantha said the Bribery Act contains provisions that prohibit public officials from accepting gifts. He said that in some circumstances even a cup of tea could be treated as a bribe.
He urged public officials and elected representatives not to accept gift hampers or other benefits during the coming festive season. He described Jayalal’s statement as completely incorrect and said it did not reflect the position of either the government or the party.
The Minister said the party would reprimand Jayalal and advise him against making similar statements in future. He added that the remarks were not serious enough to justify removing Jayalal from the party or from his post as Mayor.
Lal Kantha also said the statement did not necessarily mean Jayalal had accepted a bribe. He added that nothing prevented anyone from requesting or starting an investigation into the matter.
Background
The controversy began after Jayalal spoke at an event in Arangala, Malabe, on Sunday 8 November. He encouraged private companies to continue sending their customary year-end gift parcels to municipal council employees and other public-sector workers.
Jayalal said some companies had stopped giving such gifts after the change in administration, and he encouraged them to resume the practice. He said public-sector employees also enjoyed receiving food, drinks and other products, and suggested that companies should continue their usual December distributions.
The remarks raised concern about the acceptance of gifts from private businesses by public officials, particularly where those businesses have dealings with government institutions.
Sri Lanka’s Bribery Act makes it an offence for a public official to solicit or accept a gratification in connection with official duties. Gifts from firms that hold contracts or seek approvals from a public body are the kind of benefit that the law and public service rules treat with particular caution.
What it means
For residents who deal with local authorities, the Minister’s statement is a reminder that officials are not supposed to accept hampers or similar benefits, even when they are offered as a seasonal custom. Companies that supply or seek services from municipal councils are likely to face questions if they send such gifts.
The statement also sets out the party’s position on the matter. Lal Kantha said a reprimand, not removal, was the step the party would take, while leaving open the possibility of a formal inquiry if anyone asks for one.
Public officials who are offered festive gifts by companies they deal with have been told by the Minister that they should decline them.
